NEEDHAM, MA. - STRIATUS/JBJS, Inc., which offers the new qualitative citation measurement product SocialCite, is proud to announce that The Rockefeller University Press (publishers of the Journal of Cell Biology, the Journal of General Physiology, and the Journal of Experimental Medicine), the Genetics Society of America (publishers of Genetics and G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics), and the American Physiological Society (publishers of the American Journal of Physiology, Physiology, Physiological Reviews, Physiological Genomics, and the Journal of Neurophysiology) are the initial publishers participating in the pilot phase of SocialCite, which runs through 2014.

Citations are recognized as a key measure of the impact of a scholarly publication. Yet, currently citations include no information about the reason a paper is cited or the quality of evidence being cited. SocialCite uses the existing citation network--the citation linkages between papers plus researchers who interact with the literature--to measure the appropriateness and evidence strength of the citation.

By participating in SocialCite, The Rockefeller University Press, the Genetics Society of America, and the American Physiological Society will be able to offer their readers, researchers, and authors a free tool they can use to rate citations and track these citations and the journals they use through a free dashboard. In addition, the editors and publishers at these prestigious journals will have free access to journal-specific dashboards that will give them tools to evaluate the quality of references and benchmark against other journals in the field.

"It's wonderful to have the journals, editors, and leadership at The Rockefeller University Press, the Genetics Society of America, and the American Physiological Society participating in the SocialCite pilot," said Kent Anderson, CEO/Publisher at STRIATUS/JBJS, Inc. "Each publisher sees how important new qualitative citation measures can be in the future, and realizes innovation in this area is worth pursuing."

"We're excited about the potential of SocialCite to allow readers to indicate their confidence in the citation on a couple of different levels," said Linda Miller, Editor-in-Chief at The Rockefeller University Press. "Marking papers like this can aid community-wide efforts to promote reproducible research. What I find most promising is that SocialCite takes advantage of a common user behavior, by providing a tool that captures the reader's judgment at the moment they flip to the reference list."

Tracey DePellegrin, Executive Editor at the Genetics Society of America, is also enthusiastic. "Our editors and publications committee are excited to see what insights SocialCite will generate for us. We're glad to be on the vanguard of this important initiative, and to take a deeper dive into how our readers view citations vis-à-vis the article."

"Citations have represented a respected measure of value to science researchers," said Rita Scheman, Director of Publications and Executive Editor at the American Physiological Society. "It makes sense to apply context and granularity to this metric that continues to play a central role in STM scholarship. The APS is pleased to participate at the inception of SocialCite."

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About SocialCite: SocialCite is a new workflow tool that interacts with and improves the citation network by providing a new quality metric. By offering readers the opportunity to rate the usefulness and appropriateness of a citation, SocialCite empowers readers, engages them further with the scientific literature, and provides tools for them to provide feedback about the validity and relevance of citations. Through this process, SocialCite reframes the conversation around citation metrics to a new focus on measures of quality and care at the article, author, and journal levels.

About STRIATUS/JBJS, Inc.: STRIATUS/JBJS, Inc., produces a family of print and online publications and learning products, all related to the field of orthopaedics. Publications include The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery, JBJS Case Connector, JBJS Essential Surgical Techniques, and JBJS Reviews. The flagship publication, The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery, traces its origins back to the 1889 Transactions of the American Orthopedic Association, and is the gold standard in peer-reviewed scientific information in the field of orthopaedics. STRIATUS/JBJS, Inc., also produces online Continuing Medical Education activities.

About The Rockefeller University Press: Since 1905, The Rockefeller University Press has provided scientists with vital research and information they can trust. The Press uses the latest technologies to fulfill its commitment to quality and integrity in scientific publishing. Its three core journals elucidate important principles in cell biology, physiology, and immunological and disease mechanisms.

About the Genetics Society of America: Founded in 1931, the Genetics Society of America (GSA) is the professional scientific society for genetics researchers and educators. The Society's more than 5,000 members worldwide work to deepen our understanding of the living world by advancing the field of genetics, from the molecular to the population level.

About the American Physiological Society: The American Physiological Society (APS) is devoted to fostering education, scientific research, and dissemination of information in the physiological sciences. The Society was founded in 1887 with 28 members and now has over 11,000 members. APS publications are among the most respected and frequently cited in the world.

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